Finally Able to Speak
by Talemeka
Summary: A fanfic for the movie "Glory." What I thought would happen in the last battle scene. Rated R for scenes of war.


DISCLAIMER: The movie "Glory" and all characters in it belong to Edward Zwick and all others who made the movie "Glory" as well as Robert Gould Shaw whose letters made the movie. 

A/N: This fanfic is about the movie "Glory" which is based off of the letters written by Colonel Robert Gould Shaw. I'm not trying to change history in any way, or say this should have happened. It's merely what I thought would end up happening when they went off to battle at the end of the movie. It didn't happen and when I told my friends, they suggested that I write this. That's all. All parts of this follow the movie. When you see this (~) the story changes to match what I thought would happen. 

Finally Able to Speak 

It was the day of the 54^th Infantries second battle. The men were all dressed in their blue uniforms, their shoes and their socks. Colonel Shaw had made sure they had finally gotten them. 

I slipped my drum over my shoulder just as the order to line up pierced the morning air. I ran out and took my spot in front of the men with the drummerboys. 

I had always thought that being a drummerboy would give me my voice. The beat of the drum told the soldiers how fast to march. The beat of my drum would be my voice. But my beat mixed in with the other drummers, they couldn't tell that I was speaking. Again I felt useless. I was just a little mute boy banging a stick on a drum. But I felt that my time to talk would be coming soon. 

Col. Shaw rode to the front of the line atop his horse. How mighty and powerful he looked sitting way up there. He spoke to us and then we began our march to our battle. 

~**~ 

On our way we ran into a group of people. Col. Shaw made his horse trot over to them. It was then that I realized how scared he was. 

"If I should fall today, remember what you have seen." He told one of the men standing on the sides. 

My heart began racing. This would be a bad battle. Col. Shaw had never shown fear as far as I could tell, until today. With that, we continued our march to our battleground. 

~**~ 

We were almost there when we stopped by the river. Col. Shaw sat on his horse, gazing out over the horizon for a couple minutes. 

He turned and trotted back over to us. 

"You may go." He told us. We all looked around. "Now!" he barked. 

The drummerboys and I turned and walked off to the side. I stopped in front the man who defended me the first night, the man who defended everyone. 

"It's okay. Go." He told me, so I left. 

All the drummerboys walked back towards the camp, but I stayed in the woods. I didn't want to leave. What was going to happen? 

Col. Shaw got off his horse and paced in front of the men. Then he stopped and pointed at the man holding the flag. 

"If this man should fall, who will carry the flag?" he yelled out question. 

I will! I will! I wanted to run forward. If that man should fall I will carry the flag! 

There was a moment of silence and everything was still. Then, a man stepped forward. "I will." Thomas stated boldly. 

Col. Shaw smiled at Thomas and everyone began clapping. Thomas was still willing to go one despite his gunshot wound, the stain on his uniform still showing at the shoulder. Thomas was going to carry the flag if the man should fall. 

"March!" Col. Shaw ordered, and leading the way they began marching towards the battleground. I quietly followed in the trees. "Quick-time march!" They all started running. 

Soon, the Rebs were firing at them as they ran closer. Cannon balls were being shot, making holes and killing many men. My infantry was running into the water. 

"Take cover in the dunes!" Col. Shaw shouted. 

I watched in horror as they all ran and crouched in the protective dunes, covering their heads as cannon-balls landed a couple feet away making a hole and spraying sand all over. 

I crouched lower in the safety of the trees and watched. It was awhile before anyone moved. Then Col. Shaw stood up. He began running forward. 

A shot rang through the air and Col. Shaw was hit, he turned around covering his stomach where the bullet had entered. 

"Robert!" someone yelled, but I couldn't place the voice with the speaker. 

Col. Shaw suddenly whipped around and ran up, his gun pointed. There were two gunshots, and both made contact with him. 

He fell backwards and slid down the hill. I gasped in horror at seeing our commander lying on the ground, dead. I was angry with the Rebs; the people who had forced my ancestors into slavery and had just now killed our commander. I knew the other men were angry too. 

There was a moment where all was silent and everyone just stared our commander's body. There were many cries as the men started standing up and running forward. Dodging bullets and cannonballs again, they all ran towards the Rebs shooting. This time there was loss on both sides. 

~ 

I watched as a shot rang out and the man holding the flag fell to the ground. Thomas saw this and ran over picking up the flag. He ran forward with the rest of the men. 

He was safe, until they got closer to the enemies, and the man who had shot earlier saw the flag. He seemed to want to make sure that our flag was not in the air, but lying on the ground. 

He shot and Thomas fell back, dead. 

Col. Shaw had not asked anyone to step in should Thomas fall, and everyone else was busy fighting. I quickly saw my opportunity and ran up, grabbing the flag. 

The men looked at me strangely, but no one pushed me out of the way taking the flag. No one questioned why I was still there. They let me carry the flag. 

I am finally speaking! I thought happily. I'm telling those Rebs that we are courageous, we are brave, and we will not give up for our cause! I am giving hope to the men who see our flag up in the air. I am finally able to speak! 

As we rounded the corner, the Rebs shot a cannon in our faces. 


End file.
